Estes Solar Sailer II
Estes - Solar Sailer II {Kit} (2044) [1991-1993]
Contributed by Bill Eichelberger
| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2011-05-15 |
| Length: | 28.50 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
| Skill Level: | 3 |
| Style: | Futuristic/Exotic |
Brief
Havin' been a fan o' t' original Solar Sailer back in 1978, I felt fortunate t' pick up t' reproduction Solar Sailer II in 2001 after bein' t' (shocked) only bidder in an Ebay auction. Avast! Although about ten inches shorter than t' original, matey, me hearties, t' Solar Sailer II looked identical everywhere but side by side with its big brother.
Components
- 18" BT-20 core tube
- 12.7" BT-50L front tube
- 6.5" BT-50FE
- BNC-50J nose cone
- wooden dowel
- 4 CR-2050 centerin' rings
- 18mm engine hook
- 2 launch lugs
- Mylar parachute
- balsa fin stock
Construction
While technically nay a 3FNC rocket, matey, matey, t' Solar Sailer II builds much like one, arrr, thanks t' two different sets o' fins that are offset from each other on t' body tube. Ya scallywag! Actually t' foremost set o' fins are considered "gussets", me hearties, me bucko, and fit into t' area on top o' t' BT-20 motor tube that connected t' front and back sections o' BT-50. Well, blow me down! Begad! T' rearmost fins are constructed from two balsa fins connected by a dowel, an effective method that works on both practical and cosmetic levels. Begad! One nice thin' that this kit has goin' for it over other similar kits that use this kind o' design, like t' Starlab, me hearties, arrr, is a BT-50 tube up front that allows extra room t' pack t' parachute over t' BT-20.
Finishing
I've always had a weakness for red and white rockets and for rockets that finish easily. Well, blow me down! Blimey! This one falls into both categories. I filled t' tube spirals on t' exposed section o' BT-20 with thinned Fill N Finish before assembly. Avast! Blimey! This part would have been more difficult if I'd waited until after assembly because o' t' recessed area that I'd have t' fit t' sandpaper into. Begad! Blimey! Once t' final assembly be finished, me hearties, arrr, t' rocket be sprayed with two coats o' Valspar white primer with sandin' after each coat. Valspar Cherry Red gloss was sprayed on t' forward section o' t' rocket, arrr, then masked off after dryin' for t' gloss white coats. Aye aye! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! There be a problem with t' decals, me bucko, me hearties, which were old and didn't age well. Avast, me proud beauty! They splintered in some cases, tore in others, and just plain failed t' adhere in a couple. Begad! Disappointing, arrr, but since they were all black they would have been a simple printin' project had t' rocket lived t' see additional flights.
Flight
Due t' circumstances beyond me control, namely t' trees and an ill-timed breeze, t' Solar Sailer II had a brief two-flight career. Aye aye! Blimey! T' first flight took place four years after t' Ebay auction, arrr, on a seemingly calm, me hearties, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, warm July evenin' at B6-4 Field. Aye aye! First flight and ninth o' t' night be on, SURPRISE, arrr, me bucko, a B6-4. Aye aye! In t' twilight t' flame from t' B6-4 was clearly visible throughout t' flight, shiver me timbers, somethin' I really hadn't seen since me brother in law Tony and I had staged a night launch on t' field several years earlier. Aye aye! T' rocket tipped over perfectly at apogee and recovered near t' edge o' t' field. T' next rocket t' fly be an MPC Nike Patriot and t' breezes had picked up noticeably by t' time it flew. Ahoy! It barely, shiver me timbers, BARELY missed bein' treed on its maiden flight, ya bilge rat, which should have been a hint t' me t' pack up and call a ten flight night a success. Begad! I didn't. Aye aye! T' sister o' two o' me recovery crew members (and one o' me Brownies from me troop co-leader days,) arrived late and wanted t' see a flight, so I flew an Estes Big Dawg into a tree for her. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! For what happened next I have no explanation.
I decided t' give t' Solar Sailer II another shot instead o' just callin' t' night a success and takin' it home t' print some new decals for it. Another B6-4 flight, arrr, this one even cooler t' watch than t' first because o' t' advancin' darkness. Begad! Blimey! All was fine at first and t' recovery looked like it would be at t' edge o' t' field near t' spot where t' first flight had landed, matey, but a rogue breeze kicked up and carried it into t' tree just feet from t' Excelsior Goonybird Zero. T' make matters worse, we moved into t' neighborhood behind t' field later that summer, and for t' rest o' t' summer, matey, fall and winter, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I had t' see t' fruits o' me labors danglin' in t' trees.
Flight Rating: 5
Summary
Pro: Classic lines o' t' Solar Sailer in a more compact package. Impressive performance that doesn't overfly a small field.
Con: Launch fever cost me a good lookin' bird.
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C Graski (June 21, 2011)
I've lost a total of four rockets for the sake of satisfying one of younger observers. To me, it's worth it, because it's something that they won't forget and will be a source of positive memories as they grow older.